2025 Trib HSSN football position-by-position breakdown: Scouting the defensive line

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, August 15, 2025 | 2:57 PM

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TribLive HSSN will break down the top players at one position per day until Week Zero. Here is a look at the top defensive tackles for the 2025 season.

1. Lincoln Hoke

North Allegheny

Senior, 6-2, 260

An indomitable defensive lineman named Hoke wearing black and gold sure feels familiar. But the North Allegheny standout — son of former Steelers defensive lineman Chris Hoke — also has made a name for himself on Friday nights. The Pitt recruit had 66 tackles, including nine tackles for a loss and 61/2 sacks, last season to earn first-team all-conference honors for defense in WPIAL Class 6A. He forced two fumbles, intercepted a pass and blocked two kicks for the WPIAL runner-up. He committed to Pitt over offers from West Virginia, Akron, Buffalo, Cornell, Delaware, Harvard, James Madison, Kent State, New Mexico, Penn, Sacramento State and Toledo. He’s a consensus three-star prospect whom Rivals.com ranked 106th among all defensive linemen nationally in the 2026 class.

Watch Lincoln Hoke highlights

2. Brock Heisler

Hempfield

Senior, 6-3, 260

Heisler joined Hoke as a first-team all-conference defensive tackle in WPIAL Class 6A. The Harvard commit had 39 tackles, five tackles for a loss, one fumble recovery and one sack last season. He passed over FBS and Power 4 offers for the Ivy League. West Virginia, Akron, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Navy, Ohio, Temple and William & Mary also offered him. He isn’t the first Ivy League athlete in his family. His sister, Peyton, is a freshman softball player at Penn.

Watch Brock Heisler highlights

3. Angelo Pugliano

Central Catholic

Senior, 6-2, 280

The Western Michigan commit bolstered a Central Catholic defense that won the WPIAL Class 6A title and reached the state finals last year. Pugliano made 36 tackles, including four tackles for a loss and two sacks. He earned second-team all-conference honors at tackle. He also had college offers from Albany, Cornell, Duquesne, Eastern Michigan, Georgetown, Lehigh, Miami (Ohio), Richmond, Robert Morris, Sacramento State and Stony Brook.

Watch Angelo Pugliano highlights

4. Josiah Collins

Westinghouse

Senior, 6-2, 226

Collins easily alternated between edge rusher and defensive tackle last year for a Westinghouse defense that held its four City League opponents to 12 points combined in the regular season. Coaches voted him first-team all-City at defensive tackle. He scored two defensive touchdowns in a win over Allderdice by returning an interception 38 yards and a fumble 33 yards. Akron, Maine, Miami (Ohio), New Hampshire and Temple have offered scholarships.

Watch Josiah Collins highlights

5. DaJour Webb

Pine-Richland

Junior, 6-2, 315

Webb made 47 tackles last season as part of a Pine-Richland defense that won the WPIAL Class 5A title. His total included 10 tackles for a loss, and he returned a fumble for a touchdown. He lists college offers from Akron, Howard and Youngstown State. In last year’s WPIAL final, Webb was credited with seven tackles and a team-high four quarterback hurries.

Watch DaJour Webb highlights

One to watch

Jalil McKinley-Jones

North Hills

Junior, 6-1, 187

McKinley-Jones maybe doesn’t have the size expected for a big-school nose tackle, but he lined up there a year ago and used his quickness to cause trouble. He made 35 tackles, including six sacks, to earn all-conference honors in the Northeast. He also returned a fumble 18 yards for a touchdown.

Watch Jalil McKinley-Jones highlights

• • • • •

Position breakdowns

QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | DE | LB | CB | S | K

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Bethel Park, Central Catholic, Hempfield, North Allegheny, North Hills, Pine-Richland